Happy new year – looking forward to working together on children’s rights

Hello everyone,

Happy new year. As we turn the page on 2020, the CCRC looks forward to continuing to work with our members and partners to make children’s rights work better in Canada. Here are 3 issues that will keep us busy in 2021.

First, we want to once again draw your attention to the List of Issues released by the UN CRC, which is the next stage in the review of children’s rights. It is another opportunity to make much needed changes in Canada.  It includes many of the pressing issues for children in Canada. We remain committed to persuading governments in Canada to bring forward plans for change and improvement. Working with allies, we plan to engage governments, the media, and the general public  to get meaningful change to implement children’s rights in Canada.

Second, we are also following the commitments to address climate change, announced in December by the federal government.  The ambitious plan shows how Canada can meet or exceed climate change targets under the Paris Agreement, which Canada signed. The Supreme Court ruling on the Climate Change Court Challenge, to which the CCRC brought a children’s rights analysis, is expected early in the new year.  Children and youth have been at the forefront of the movement to create a more sustainable future, so we will be following this and continue to highlight children’s right to a healthy environment. Check out our post where we discuss children’s rights in the city – we see a direct connection to broader conversations about climate change.

Third, we continue to support the goals of many of our member organizations in combatting anti-Black and anti-Indigenous racism. We are proud to announce that in 2021, we will have a children’s rights writing competition, where young people are encouraged to submit creative writing reflections on Article 2, the right to non-discrimination. Stay tuned to our website for more details.

Thanks for being part of the conversation and contact us if you have ideas about ways we can work together in 2021 and beyond.

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